An advanced object-oriented computing concept is mobile agent technology. The computer science definition of a mobile agent is a composition of computer software and data which is able to migrate from one computer to another autonomously and continue its execution on the destination computer. The embodiment of a mobile agent refers to a process that can transport its state from one environment to another, with its data intact, and still be able to perform appropriately in the new environment. When a mobile agent decides to move, it saves its own state, transports this saved state to next host, and resumes execution from the saved state.
Location Based Services (LBS) is a growing technology commonly used by mobile network service providers to send information to subscribers that is customized for their location. Paramount to LBS is ability to locate subscribers, and this generally requires input from the mobile device. The predominant location technologies include the Global Positioning System (GPS) and cellular radiolocation. An advancing technology that is gaining momentum is the use of radiolocation in Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks.
GPS is a fully functional satellite navigation system that broadcasts precise radio timing signals to ground based GPS receivers. GPS technology allows a receiver to accurately determine its latitude, longitude and altitude, in any weather, day or night, anywhere on Earth. Advanced GPS techniques can enhance the accuracy of location detection to within one centimeter.
In general, radiolocation is the process of locating something through the use of radio waves by analyzing the angle and period of radio signals traveling between a radio receiver and transmitter. In cellular network, the signal strength, the time of arrival, and the angle of arrival of radio waves traveling between a mobile device and a fixed location base station (also referred to a “cell site”) can be used to approximate the location of a mobile device. When multiple cell sites are in communication with the device, triangulation, trilateration or multilateration (also known as “hyperbolic positioning”) techniques can be locating the device.
Radiolocation can location of devices operating Interoperability for Microwave technique is less effective used to increase the accuracy of also be used to determine the in a Wi-Fi or WiMAX (Worldwide Access) network. However, this in Wi-Fi networks because the location of wireless access points (WAPs) are not necessarily known or fixed. As urban communities add public wireless networks to their infrastructure and record the location of their WAPs, the techniques of radiolocation can be readily applied to Wi-Fi and WiMAX devices.
“Breadcrumbs” (or breadcrumb trails) are a simple navigation technique used to keep track of a subject's path as it traverses from one location to another. The technique takes its name from the bread crumb trail left by Hansel and Gretel in the popular Brothers Grimm fairy tale, “Hansel and Gretel”.